SISD celebrates School Board Recognition Month

January 14, 2012

Sweetwater School Board Trustees Russ Petty and Mark Meneses are pictured taking the oath of office.

Texans benefit every day from the tireless work and countless hours dedicated by a group of more than 7,300 men and women in communities across the state. These public servants are elected to serve by local constituents and receive no compensation for their efforts. These men and women are the school board members of Texas. January is School Board Recognition Month and Sweetwater ISD will take this opportunity to thank these local leaders for devoting time to support public education and serve our local schools.
â€śEven though we are making a special effort in January to show appreciation to our board members, we realize their contributions reflect a year-round commitment,â€ť said Mr. Terry Pittman, Sweetwater ISD superintendent. â€śThey selflessly give of themselves to ensure that decisions directly affecting our local schools are made by representatives of this community. In these challenging times, they face difficult choices and shoulder critical responsibilities. Their ultimate goal is always focused on the future success of every student enrolled in the district,â€ť Mr. Pittman said.
â€śOur district is enriched by the contributions of these local citizens who truly care about our kids. Serving as a crucial link between the community and classroom, this board is responsible for an annual budget of $18 million, 2,249 students, 395 employees, and six campuses. We applaud their efforts to serve as advocates for our children and the voice of public education,â€ť Mr. Pittman said.
The board members serving Sweetwater ISD are: President Becky Jimenez, Vice-President Gail Lawrence, Secretary Russ Petty, Nancy Johnson, Ginny Mayes, Mark Meneses and Jeanie McPherson. Ginny Mayes has served the longest with this being her 20th year. Gail Lawrence has served nine years; Russ Petty has served seven years and Jeanie McPherson has served six years. Becky Jimenez has served three years and Nancy Johnson has served two years. This is Mark Mensesâ€™ first year of service.
The proactive approach taken by the SISD school board has enabled the district to overcome state funding cuts without the loss of programs that directly affect the students. The campuses will honor the board members with a week of appreciation.